THREE STORES

STORE NO. 1 

This one’s true story. Mainit ang panahon at uhaw na uhaw ako. Huminto ako sa isang tindahan para mamili ng softdrink na malamig.

Goddy: Pagbilhan nga po ng Coke.

Tindera: Ay, wala pong Coke! 

Goddy: E, Pepsi po? 

Tindera: Ay, wala pong Pepsi! 

Goddy: E, Royal na lang pala. 

Tindera: Naku! Wala rin pong Royal! 

Goddy: E, Sprite? 

Tindera: Wala rin po! 

Goddy: Ano pa’ng wala kayo???

STORE NO. 2

Ito nama’y hindi talaga nangyari. Naisipan ko lang gawin para may counterpart naman ang naunang istorya.

Goddy: Pagbilhan nga po.

Tindera: Ano po iyon? 

Goddy: Mayroon po ba kayong Coke? 

Tindera: Meron po. 

Goddy: E, Pepsi, meron kayo? 

Tindera: Meron din po. 

Goddy: How about Royal? 

Tindera: Meron din po! 

Goddy: E, Sprite? 

Tindera: Meron din po! 

Goddy: E, 7 Up? 

Tindera: Naku, wala po kaming 7 Up! 

Goddy: Iyon… iyon… pagbilhan po ng 7 Up! 

STORE NO. 3 

This one’s another true story. Namili ako noon sa Lumang Palengke sa 23^rd Street sa Olongapo. Nang pauwi na ako, napuna kong hindi pala ako nakabili ng patis. So, kung alin ang una kong nadaanang tindahan, doon ako huminto at namili. 

Goddy: Pagbilhan nga ng patis. 

Tindera: Aba, Mama, botika po ito! 

Goddy: Ha! Naku, sorry ha! ‘Di ko napuna e. 

BANYO QUEEN

 Noong sa Harris Street sa Olongapo pa ako nakatira, malaki ang bahay na inuupahan ko. May dalawang  kuwarto sa itaas at isang maliit na kuwarto sa ibaba. Dahil nag-iisa lang ako roon, naisipan kong tumanggap ng boarders.

Sampu ang naging boarders ko: 8 males and 2 females. Lahat sila except for Gelai ay sa itaas (second floor) natutulog. Si Gelai ay doon sa maliit na room downstairs natutulog.

Minsan, nang pumanaog ako’t walang tao sa ground floor, napuna kong may nakapaskel na note sa may dingding sa tapat ng dining table. The note read in part:

“SINO KANG LALAKI KA NA TUMATAWAG SA AKIN NG 'BANYO QUEEN'? DINIG NA DINIG KITA SA KUWARTO KO... BAKA AKALA MO...!"

Nang may mga lalaking boarders na dumating, tinanong ko sila.

GAUDZ:  Ano ‘yang nakapaskel na iyan?

JOEREX:  Sir, si Jeho po, tinawag niyang ‘Banyo Queen’ si Gelai. Narinig siya, nagalit. Nagsulat ng note at ipinaskel sa dingding.

GAUDZ:  Huwag ngang kung anu-ano ang ibinabansag n’yo sa mga kasamahan n’yo ha! Gaya niyan, mukhang mataray ‘yang binansagan n’yo! Baka pagmulan ng kagalitan ‘yan! Huwag n’yo nang uulitin ‘yan ha!

JOEREX:  Opo, sir.

GAUDZ:  Nasaan ba siya?

JOEREX:  Sino po, sir?

GAUDZ:  Si Banyo Queen! 

HELLO, ATTORNEY!

(Below is a personal letter I sent to someone nice to me.) 

Hello, Attorney!

I remember Friday morning and the memory of our meeting often haunts me.

Siguro, dahil sa medical checkup mo... sa pagpapa-blood chem mo. Kasi, iyan din ang reason why despite Gapan-based na ako ay bumalik ako sa Olongapo. Nagpa-blood chem din ako rito kasi nahilo rin ako and my BP rose to 170/90. E, hindi naman ako high blood!

Since yung unang blood chem resulted sa high blood sugar, nagpunta ako sa Diabetologist. But before he prescribed medicine, he required three more blood chems for confirmation kung diabetic ba ako. Fortunately, hindi. So, hindi siya nag-prescribe ng kahit anong medicine.

I tried to analyze… bakit kaya? Since I had anxietty attack when I was in the province, I attributed the health problem to CHANGES; i.e., change in residence... change in the usual ways of doing things.  I am very much aware naman that change especially when sudden or abrupt and disagreeable can trigger anxiety.

Then I rationalized, "Ah, kaya pala may pre-retirement seminar. Anticipated or expected ang ganitong eksena. Kaya pala the last time I saw my psychiatrist, he asked me how I regard retirement".

So, balik muna ako sa Olongapo. Tuloy muna kung ano'ng naging familiar sa akin in the last 47 years that I had been away from home sweet home.

I have also realized that when one is in his twilight years, life gets more precious. Nothing but LIFE ITSELF becomes the only thing that matters.

Hindi na importante ang material wealth (buti na lang ever since ay strange sa akin ang bagay na 'yan).

Hindi na ang physical and outside beauty and glamour (okay lang din sa akin kasi wala naman ako nun).

Hindi na ang power and position (never ding nagkaroon ako).

Hindi na fame or popularity (lalo namang wala ako).

Kasi, mapasa-akin man ang mga iyon, if I have no life, paano ko mae-enjoy ang mga iyon?

And because life has become more precious now that I am a senior citizen, I am focusing on three major factors that will give me a good chance to live longer:

1. Foods and drinks that I take into my body

2. Activities that I do, and

3. The things that I think about (or my attitude towards people and circumstances).

Ang dami ko nang ini-snub na foods and drinks. I don't eat red meat anymore -- beef, pork (pero chicken, in moderation). I don't drink softdrinks and coffee. And I avoid as much as I can oily, sweet, and salty foods.  At kung anu-ano pang unhealthy and harmful substances. Nakuntento na lang ako sa sinigang, pinangat, bulanglang, paksiw, inihaw, steamed veggies o yun bang ipinatong lang sa nilutong kanin. Ang advice ko sa sarili ko: hindi baleng hindi masarap, basta't malusog! Look! No more gout… no more arthritis... no more rayuma. I mean, matagal nang hindi umaatake. Problema ko lang, itong patis na ito. Ayaw pumirma sa divorce paper.

But what's more amazing --- wala akong maintainance medicine.

Sa activities naman ---- brisk walking early in the morning, some light physical exercises, washing isang tambak na dishes (my stress reliever), and going to market. I also have an "ADOPTING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE PROGRAM" which I hope to successfully carry out.

Sa attitude naman, dati naman na akong pasensiyoso, hindi magagalitin, Through the years, I have gained a high degree of tolerance with regards to dealing with super obnoxious and irrational people. And despite the strings of traumas that adorn my very colorful life, I still believe I have to let go of the past and move on. Yes, let go... and let God.

Also, I am determined to TRULY forgive and forget those who oppressed and harassed me (especially my irrational office superiors) and those who maligned my name. And I have forgiven them. Yun nga lang, isinumpa ko muna sila bago pinatawad.

(Joke lang yung last line, Atty.)

Lastly, thanks for the pleasant memories! I remember you would either email or text me, "Gaudz, admin leave na..." due to the storm. Or, "Gaudz , may vacancy sa..." (Saan nga bang department yun?) Imagine, HR Manager entertaining me!

Anyway, I hope okay ang result ng blood chem mo. O baka naman pregnant ka uli? Ikaw kasi, nag-asawa ka ng a la Yorme Isko. Ka-guapo na, mabait pa! 

Thanks again, Atty! God bless!

Gaudz

25 Nov 2019 

AN EMAIL FROM A READER

(I got an email from a reader, a United States Navy retired serviceman.  I am publishing it verbatim on this blog as well as my reply to same.)

Hello Goddy

May 25

Goddy, I just saw your blog entries for Olongapo and I have to say those pictures caused a flood of memories...... all quite pleasant.  I have to say that from my first visit to your beautiful country, as a sailor, and throughout my Naval career thereafter, I considered the Philippines to be my second home.  I was lucky to have spent considerable time there....... Since I spent so much time in the Aviation side of the Navy, Gordon Avenue was my favorite haunt.  The old places I used to visit for a beer (every time I got to spend time out in town) were VP Alley and the UA Club across the street. For sure, I spent alot of time up and down Magsaysay, enjoying the food, the people and the fabulous music.  Thanks for the few pix of Gordon. Those are rare, to say the least.  But they sure do bring back memories of my younger days and the great time I had meeting some really fine people.  Yes, I visited many other cities in the Philippines and especially enjoyed the time I was able to spend on Samar Is.  LOVED that place!  All I can say is that the people of the PI are forever friends with me....... You folks are the best!

I could go on and on..... obviously..... again, I just wanted to say thanks for posting those pix, especially those of Gordon Ave...... If you have any more, especially if they are of the old VP Alley or the UA Club locations, I would sure appreciate seeing them.  Of course, you may not even be able to locate those anymore.  But if you have any pix of that area, I would love to see them.  THANKS AGAIN and God Bless!

Mike Armstrong (USN Retired)

MY REPLY

Intersection of Magsaysay Drive and Gordon Avenue, Olongapo City

October 29, 2014

Hi, Mike!

Thank you for your email and for the kind words and pleasant things you said about my blog as well as our country—the Philippines—and its people!

I got your email about an hour just after you sent it and I’m sorry for not replying right away.  I was thinking it would make you a lot happier if I could grant your request; that is, posting more pictures of Gordon Avenue, your favorite haunt, particularly the area where VP Alley and UA Club were located.

I was quite familiar with both establishments that you mentioned not only because I used to pass by the area but also because I worked with the Military Police, Office of the Provost Marshal, U.S. Naval Base, Subic Bay and we had a list of all clubs, hotels and restaurants (about a thousand of them collectively—if I recall it correctly) as well as their addresses in Olongapo City and nearby Subic town.  But twenty-two years have passed since the U.S. Bases’ pullout and I can no longer remember their exact location.  I made an effort to ask an elderly person out there but he, too, could not recall even the buildings that housed them.

You probably were attached to Patrol Squadron 47 in Cubi Point when you were stationed here.  I remember VP stands for Patrol Squadron.  And VP Alley must be for VP personnel.  But that's just my guess.

Anyway, I am sending you on separate email recently-taken photographs of Gordon Avenue and other areas of Olongapo and the former U.S. Naval Base and look forward to sending you pictures of the area or the new business establishments where VP Alley and UA Club were located.

Thank you again for your email and God bless!

Goddy